Wrench.



G. E. GRIFFITH.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED 001211. 1913.

Patented June 2, 1914.

avwawto'a CmRENcE E- Gmffnfll qwmom wheel. Fig. 2 is an edge view; Fig.3 is a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE E. GRIFFITH,

OF WEIGHTS, ILLINOIS.

WRENCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE F1. GRIF- rrri-r, citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Wrights, in the county of Greene and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved wrench and more particularly to awrench of the chain-grip type which is designed for application to thesprocket wheel of a bicycle or other vehicle to remove the same from thehub.

My invention has for its primary object to produce a simple, efficientand reliable de vice of the above character which may be easily andquickly applied to the sprocket whereby said sprocket wheel may beturned upon the hub and readily removed with but little manual laborupon the part of the operator.

My invention has for another of its objects to produce a sprocket wrenchof the above type which will retain its applied position upon thesprocket wheel and will not slip therefrom upon the application ofpressure to the wrench handle, the wrench as a whole being extremelystrong and durable and capable of manufacture at small cost.

With the above andother objects in view as will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions,combinations and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafterfully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawlng, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation illustrating my improved wrench applied to a sprocketsection taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section taken onthe line 1- 1 of Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates the shank or handle ofmy improved wrench which may be of any desired form, but is preferablyconstructed entirely of steel. At one end of this handle, the same istapered and bifurcated as indicated at (3, the spaced arms formed bysaid bifurcation being adapted for engagement upon opposite sides of thesprocket S. The inner or Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 11,

Patented June 2, 1914.

1913. Serial No. 794,709.

base wall of the bifurcation 6 is concave as shown at 7 so that the samewill not frictionally engage upon the periphery of the sprocket wheelbetween the teeth thereof in the use of the device. This concave wall orface 7 also provides sharp gripping edges 8 on the handle which engagethe periphery of the sprocket wheel at the base of adjacent teeth, asclearly shown in Fig. 1.

To the handle 5 adjacent its bifurcated end, the angularly disposedparallel metal bars 9 are secured, by means of a suitable bolt 10. Thesebars extend upon opposite sides of the handle and are provided withopenings to coincide with the bolt receiving opening formed in thehandle. Between the other ends of the parallel bars 9, one end of a linkchain 11 is pivotally secured. This chain is of suflicient length toextend approximately half way around the sprocket wheel, the teeth ofwhich are adapted to be received between the parallel link bars of thechain. A heavy leaf spring 12 is adapt.- ed to support the chain inposition and is disposed closely contiguous thereto. This spring whichis of slightly greater width than the link chain is bent in the arc of acircle in its normal condition. One end of this spring is secured to thechain adjacent the end thereof which is attached to the bars 9 by meansof a suitable bolt 13, which is disposed between parallel link bars andprovided with a clamping nut 14 on one of its ends to securely clamp theend of the spring to the chain. The extremity of the plate 12 is turnedaround the pin which connects the chain to the ends of the bars 9,whereby pivotal movement of said plate-upon the fastening bolt 13 isobviated. Adjacent to the other end of the spring, the same provided inits longitudinal edges at opposite points with notches or recesses 15.These notches receive the plates 16 of a short link which is pivotallyconnected to the chain 11 adjacent its end and extends at right anglesthereto. To the end link of the chain 11, a link 17 is pivotallyconnected, said latter link also extending in a plane at right angles tothe chain. The links 16 and 17 are pivotally connected by the links 18which are disposed exteriorly of the spring plate 11 or upon theopposite side thereof with respect to the chain 11. These latter linkstogether with the link plates 16 serve to effectually prevent separationof the end of the plate 12 from the chain. The end of the spring plate12 terminates in a reduced extension 19 which extends between the platesof the link 17. By this manner of connecting the end of the chain to thespring plate, I eliminate all pull or longitudinal strain upon thespring when pressure is applied to the handle 5 to turn the sprocketwheel S.

By referring to the drawing, the manner of application of my inventionwill be at once understood. In applying the device,

the operator grasps the free end of the plate 12 and pulls outwardlyupon the same whereby the links of the chain 11 may be engaged upon theperiphery of the sprocket wheel S. Upon releasing the end of the spring,said spring contracts against the ends of the sprocket teeth andeffectually prevents all liability of disengagement of the link chaintherefrom. The bifurcated end of the handle 5 is disposed betweenadjacent sprocket teeth with the edges 8 in gripping engagement with theperiphery of the sprocket at the base of the teeth. Upon now swingingthe handle 5 in the proper direction, the sprocket wheel is turned uponthe wheel hub and unthreaded therefrom. The sprocket wheel may be aseasily applied by simply reversing the illustrated position of thewrench so that the handle will extend upon the opposite side of thesprocket wheel.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction and severaladvantages of my invention will be clearly understood. The deviceconsist-s of comparatively few parts which are all of simple form anddurable in construction. It will therefore be appreciated that the toolmay be produced at small manufacturing cost. My improved wrench iscapable of easy and quick application to the sprocket wheel and providesmeans whereby the same may be very easily and quickly removed from thewheel hub or applied thereto with a minimum of labor upon the part ofthe operator. While I have shown and described the preferred form andconstruction of the several elements employed, it is to be understoodthat the invention is susceptible of considerable modification in theform, proportion and arrangement of the parts without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, asclaimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A wrench of the type described comprising a handle, a flexibleelement connected at one end to said handle and adapted for engagementupon an object, and resilient means mounted upon said element andcoextensive in length therewith to yieldably hold the same in engagementwith the obect.

2. A wrench of the type described comprising a handle, a flexibleelement connected at one of its ends to said handle and adapted forengagement with an object, and a leaf spring coextensive in length withsaid element and connected at one of its ends to the handle, saidelement being attached at its other end to the corresponding end of saidspring, whereby the element is yieldingly held in engagement with theobject.

3. A wrench of the type described comprising a handle adapted forengagement at one of its ends with an object, a link chain connected atone of its ends to said handle, and resiliently movable means mounted onsaid chain to retain the links of the chain in engagement with theobject.

4. A wrench of the type described comprising a handle provided withmeans at one of its ends for gripping engagement with an object, a linkchain connected at one end to said handle and adapted to extendpartially around the object, and a leaf spring permanently secured atone of its ends to said chain and loosely connected at its other end tothe end of said chain, said spring acting to yieldingly retain the chainin position upon the object.

5. A wrench of the type described comprising a handle bifurcated at oneend, said handle at the inner end of said bifurcation having a concavesurface providing gripping edges for engagement with the object, and alink chain connected at one end to said handle and adapted toextendpartially around the object and engage the teeth thereof.

6. A wrench of the type described comprising a handle provided withmeans at one end for gripping engagement with the periphery of an obect, a link chain connected at one end to said handle and adapted toextend partially around the object, a curved leaf spring fixed at oneend to the chain, and means loosely connected to the other end of saidchain and lying upon the opposite side of the spring with respect tosaid chain to retain the free end of the spring in connection with theend of the chain.

7. A wrench of the type described, com-- prising a handle, provided atone end with means for gripping engagement with the periphery of asprocket wheel, a link chain connected at one of its ends to saidhandle, a curved leaf spring secured at one of its ends to said chainand adapted for engagement with the sprocket teeth to retain the chainlinks thereon, said spring being provided with notches at its free end,link plates pivotally connected to said chain adjacent its other end anddisposed through said notches, an additional link connected to the endof the chain, and links connecting said latter link to the link platesarranged in said notches to loosely connect the end of the chain to theend of the spring plate, whereby movement of the spring plate withrelation to the chain is prevented.

8. A Wrench of the type described comprising a handle provided withmeans at one of its ends for gripping engagement with an object, aflexible element connected at one end to said handle, and adapted toextend partially around the object, and a leaf spring permanentlysecured at one of its ends to said element and extending the entirelength thereof, said chain being of greater width than the flexibleelement and adapted to yieldably retain the same in position upon theobject.

9. A wrench of the type described comprising a handle, provided withmeans at one of its ends for gripping engagement with an object, a linkchain connected at one of its ends to said handle and adapted to extendpartially around the object, and a relatively Wide leaf spring connectedat one an object, a link chain connected at one 01 30 its ends to saidhandle and adapted to extend partially around the object, and a leafspring connected to said handle and extending the entire length thereof,said spring being provided in its other end With notches, and retaininglinks for said spring connected to the chain and disposed in saidnotches.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

CLARENCE E. GRIFFITH. Witnesses H. E. BARNARD, E. M. Mosrnn.

fiopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

